The Scoop - This week in Digital and Social

Welcome to The Scoop, your go-to weekly lowdown of the best social and digital moments. From trending content and internet dramas to tech triumphs, we cover everything current and exciting. Tune in every Friday.?

This week, we discover that Waitrose is a Swiftie, "Brat Girl Summer" has officially begun, and AI influencers are on the horizon. Need help getting your brand at the forefront of social culture? let’s chat.

Our Favourite Brand Social Moment This Week

With Taylor Swift's Eras Tour entering its UK leg, retailer Waitrose has creatively seized the opportunity to engage fans. They’ve reimagined popular Taylor Swift songs, cleverly weaving in Waitrose products into the lyrics. By tapping into the excitement surrounding the Eras tour, Waitrose captures the attention of Swift’s fanbase, memorably showcasing their brand’s personality.

We also must mention Nicola Coughlan X skims…

Following the successful release of Bridgerton S3, Nicola Coughlan, has joined SKIMS as their latest brand ambassador in an iconic campaign. The campaign's imagery, reminiscent of Renaissance paintings, pays homage to her period drama role and comes hot on the heels of Nicola’s perfect body confidence clapback at a Bridgerton press junket. SKIMS consistently excels at selecting and unveiling brand ambassadors at just the right moment (hello Paris Hilton x Skims Y2K velour tracksuit revival ??), and this collaboration is no exception.?

Tech Triumphs

Everyone is trying to opt out of Meta’s usage of AI training on posts, and no, posting a Story about it won't suffice. Meta's AI model training is a part of their latest development in AI usage where user posts will be used to ‘train’ the software and help it ‘learn’.

Over the past week, we've seen thousands of social media posts from people objecting to Instagram's AI training, but for those living in the UK or EU, the only legitimate way to opt out is to follow the ‘right to object’ option in the Privacy Policy section.

This situation with Meta highlights the urgent need for comprehensive and adaptable regulations that can keep pace with technological advancements while protecting individual privacy rights.

Platform Updates

TikTok enables businesses to create virtual characters through their new AI assistant, TikTok Symphony, marking a new phase in digital marketing. Brands can choose from a range of characters to sell their products 24/7 via TikTok live streams, with the avatars coming in two main formats: Stock Avatars (pre-built characters using paid actors licensed for commercial use) and Custom Avatars (generated to resemble creators or brand spokespeople), with multi-language capabilities. While innovative, there's concern that these avatars may appear overly robotic and unconvincing as digital salespeople. Ensuring they engage authentically with audiences will be key.?

Our Favourite Social Trends

“Brat Girl Summer" is here…

Following the release of Charli XCX's latest album, "Brat", coupled with her high-energy collaboration on the Von Dutch Remix with Addison Rae,? a new aesthetic has taken the scene by storm and the term "Brat Girl Summer" has quickly become the latest craze.

The polar opposite of clean girl and tradwife vibes, ‘brat girl summer’ embodies a messy blend of grunge, pop princess vibes, and unapologetic sass. It's all about embracing an edgy yet glamorous look, and mixing rebellious attitudes with a touch of playful femininity. TikTok ‘girlhood’ has gone through many iterations, but with more and more fans adopting the brat girl style, this aesthetic is set to be the defining fashion trend of the season and we’re here for it.

Dramas, Discussions, Debates

Are the OG British YouTube crew making a comeback? Tanya Burr has posted her first YouTube vlog after a 5-year hiatus, while Sprinkle of Glitter and Niomi Smart are popping up all over our FYPs. Jim Chapman is also making waves with his ads on TikTok.

However, some commenters are speculating that their content hasn't evolved much, appearing somewhat outdated compared to current trends. Social media has changed significantly since the heyday of the Brit Crew, can the OGs keep up with the new wave of Gen Z influencers and adapt to the new digital landscape? Only time will tell! (P.S. #whereisMartha? IYKYK)

Thank you for reading this week's Scoop! We've explored the top social and digital highlights, from Brat Girl Summer and SKIMS brand ambassadors to the latest updates on Meta's AI training. Join us next Friday for more exciting updates.